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Travel
I STILL CAN’T BELIEVE THIS DAY HAPPENED! Scratch that, I can’t believe this past WEEK was real life!
Holy Moly, Hawaii was the dream of a lifetime come true and these photos are just the very start of what I hope will be many successful trips to paradise to photograph lovers and dreamers and adventurers. Kauai and Oahu, you’ve got my heart and all the money in my travel account forever. :) Just need to get some more beach weddings booked there in 2020 and 2021, mmmk?!
I had the pleasure of spending the last two weeks of 2019 in Europe. I visited 5 cities, 4 countries and had a whole lot of fun with friends living and traveling abroad. Join me as I recount my trip & share some tidbits from my time in the historical spaces of western Europe!
Des Moines continues to grow and expand, meaning there is something for everyone in this city! You can find endless cafes, restaurants that range from strange to high class, shops full of items either vintage or artisan-created. Whether you're in Des Moines for a vacation, looking for stay-cation ideas, or just something to do on a random afternoon in the city, here are some of my suggestions!
It is possible that a bit of insanity took over my brain when I decided to head to Colorado for 5 days before “2019 wedding season 2.0”… but I also kind of don’t care. ;) I’ve got a bunch of work to catch up on, but it’s a blessing! And I was able to see some great friends, drink some good coffee, take my first solo hike, and feel refreshed before the next 10 weeks of nonstop work! Click the post title to read and see more!
Des Moines, City of Monks, da moinz… call it what you wish. But this mid-sized city in the very midwestern state of Iowa is truly one of the most up-and-coming places to live, work, and play. Although I didn’t make it here often as a child (just the occasional trip to Adventureland or the State Fair), once I was allowed to travel sans-parents, my visits to the Iowa capitol because much more frequent. Why? Well, why not!?
This glowing city (literally! the capitol dome is shiny, actual gold!) is full of unique locations to spice up your Instagram (or Snapchat) stories. You’ll find a plethora of parks, iconic and historic landmarks, and plenty of great food and drinks to boost your photo hunt. See the city in a day, or stay forever. Your choice! ;)
Before I wrote and posted on the website/blog, my mom, sister and I traveled to the land Down Under. Never in my lifetime did I expect to get to travel to Australia! However, in high school, my friend Mikayla and her family moved there… and when she started dating an Australian we realized that mayyyybe someday a trip would be in our future. So, when Kayla and Luke got engaged and asked me to be in their wedding, we decided to make a family trip (minus dad) to this continent country.
Oh friends! This trip was a DREAM. Literally never wanted to wake up (although I also was exhausted by the end of this trip— so much so that I slept in my car for an hour at a rest stop 1.5 hours away from home). I really fell in love with DC. Low key trying to decide if I want to move there now. (semi-no joking.) Of course, this may all change when I visit NYC for the first time but for now… I really do think Washington DC is both the capitol city of our nation & my heart.
Even before I moved to Des Moines in 2018, I knew Des Moines held some of the best coffee shops in the Midwest. I just didn’t know where they all were! But I wanted to find out. After all, cafes are the best places to get your morning caffeine fix, work on your laptop, read a book, or drop by with a visiting out-of-town friend. You’ll find below my top 5 coffee stops in Des Moines, as well as a few bonus cafes!
Kicking off 2019 with a trip to Seattle was definitely a move in the right direction. Not only did one of my Instagram photos get the most likes ever, but I had a BLAST unplugging from work and normal life for a week! Seattle and the PNW has been on my bucket list to visit for about 10 years (!!!) and y’all bet your coffee addictions I’ll be back soon! There are so many incredible spots to visit, and next time I’ll be packing my REAL camera and some hiking gear to explore the PNW outdoors. (You can see more about our trip here.)
I think a dream job for me would be “travel blogger.” Because who wouldn’t love to get paid to travel and share adventure stories!? Ok, probably not everyone…but since I grew up overseas and have been traveling literally since before birth, packing a bag and hopping on an airplane is literally ingrained in my soul!
Our family roadtripped to Colorado for the first time in 9 years last weekend. Can you believe it?! We used to go to Colorado for an annual ski trip with friends—but hadn’t made the trek since I was a senior in High School! Wow.
waco, you were a fun space to see! and I can’t wait to explore you more in the future. thanks for being a weird little town, with growth and grace and gorgeous little spots to find.
Chicago happens to be the 3rd largest city in the United States. Did you know that?! I didn't.... until last year. even though I've been to the Windy City quite a few times in my life. The first time our family visited, I was 10 and obsessed with seeing the new American Girl Place. We visited the classic museums and the Navy Pier (of course!), and I'm sure rode the Loop and ate some deep-dish pizza along the way. However, not too much of that vacation stuck with me though the years.
